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Opinions expressed by participants in Maile's District 21 Blog, including those in posts, articles, comments, profiles, and links, represent the views of the writers and not those of Senator Shimabukuro or her staff. All content is provided for informational purposes only. The administrators and editors make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information posted to this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.

The Hawaii State Board of Education (BOE) and the Department of Education (DOE) today reaffirmed their commitment to Hawaiian Education and Hawaiian Immersion programs in Hawaii’s public schools.

The BOE approved key policy changes affirming that Hawaiian language, culture and history should be an integral part of Hawaii’s educational standards for all students in grades K-12.

Hawaiian Education policy 2104 states, “Hawaii’s public education system should embody Hawaiian values, language, culture and history as a foundation to prepare student in grades K-12 for success in college, career and communities, locally and globally.”

BOE Chairperson Don Horner stated, “The policy strengthens our commitment to offer students the added value of a bilingual, bicultural based education. The curricula will have rigorous performance standards and be taught by a core of qualified, effective teachers. The goal is to graduate outstanding students that are highly proficient in both English and Hawaiian and are well prepared for college, career and contributors to community.”

The Board spent nearly one year working with stakeholders to craft policy revisions.

“It was very important that stakeholders be an integral part of this process and the policies reflect the shared goals of the DOE and the community,” explained BOE Student Achievement Committee Chairwoman Cheryl Kauhane Lupenui. “We held more than 40 stakeholder meetings during the development process and at today’s meeting we received over 100 testimony in support of the policies.”

Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi stated, “The department looks forward to advancing Hawaiian education as an integral part of our public schools for all students.”

The state currently has 20 Hawaiian Immersion programs, including six at charter schools. The proposed amendments to BOE policy 2104 and 2105 can be viewed on the BOE’s General Business Meeting on the BOE site.

From the album Timeline Photos by Mālama Mākua. Image captured at ahupua’a of Mākua by the one and only Clark Little. Find his images on Facebook at Clark Little Photography. Click to enlarge.

Aloha kākou! Please join Mālama Mākua on the next public cultural access into sacred Mākua Valley this Saturday, Feb. 22, beginning at 7 a.m. The plan right now, after ho’okupu is presented at Ahu Mākua, is to make the hike up into the back of ahupua’a Kahanahāiki. If you haven’t been, please join us in visiting these special and historical sites. If you have already been, please join us again. Call Fred Dodge at 696-4677 or Vince Kana’i Dodge at 478-6492 to reserve your spot on the list no later than Wednesday afternoon.

HB2509 HD1 (see information below) has been scheduled for a hearing in front of the House Finance (FIN) Committee at 130p THU FEB 20 in Conference Room 308 at the Hawaii State Capitol.

HB2509 HD1 appropriates funds to assist communities affected by discarded or abandoned tires by providing funds for programs promoting the removal of abandoned tires that have been illegally dumped from the landscape, including funding county abandoned tire removal programs.

Testimony can be submitted online via the Capitol website at this link: